“Unknown error” while importing backup on WhatsApp.

One workaround I’ve found is to do the transfer from Android twice.

Round 1 - Choose only WhatsApp on your Android phone for the transfer

Once the transfer is complete, open WhatsApp and backup your chat contents + videos to iCloud (buy additional iCloud storage if required)

After the WhatsApp backup is complete, reset your iPhone and go back to the move to iOS app on your android.

Round 2 - Choose all the items you want to transfer to your iPhone excluding WhatsApp

Complete the transfer, open WhatsApp and then download the WhatsApp backup from iCloud.

I was facing the exact same issue while importing chats from Android and it got stuck at 40% with an “unknown error” with title something went wrong and an option to retry or skip the import. I retried several times and it kept stuck at 40% and kept popping up the error box

here is what I did to get past this error. After retrying several times, instead of cancelling the transfer, I restarted iPhone using the power and volume buttons. Once the iPhone restarted, I opened WhatsApp again and the import page showed up again. i clicked on Start button to start the import process again. And this time import quickly moved from 0 to 40% and then it started progressing. Attached the screenshot in this response

Hi ,

I too had the same problem, It was struck at 40%. I have updated Iphone 14pro to the latest version i.e. 16.5.1 and reset the iphone. Tried the same process Move to IOS on my Android phone, and this time it worked. Got all WhatsApp data to the iPhone.

This also worked for me:

here is what I did to get past this error. After retrying several times,

instead of cancelling the transfer, I restarted iPhone using the power

and volume buttons. Once the iPhone restarted, I opened WhatsApp again

and the import page showed up again. i clicked on Start button to start

the import process again. And this time import quickly moved from 0 to

40% and then it started progressing.

I had the same issue.

This worked for me:

Make a Backup on GoogleDrive, delete WhatsApp on Android, reinstall it and restore the backup from GoogleDrive. Then use move to ios to migrate from android to ios. Afterwards importing should work.

What worked for me was doing a backup on google drive on the android phone, uninstalling WhatsApp on android, reinstalling, recover account using google drive backup, closing WhatsApp on iPhone, reopen, restart transfer process.

I got the same error, my whatsapp data size was around 900mb. I deleted stuff and brought it under 500 mb and then this worked.

I am in progress of resolution but I have found a way round the issue. Background, I was previously iOS a few years ago, I also received the error at 40%. When I cancelled and retried I was being asked to restore from an old icloud WhatsApp backup from 5 years ago.

Resolution:

On icloud account make sure sufficient space (I had to pay the $1.50 per month) not sure if needed but potentially was the fix.

When transferring with move to iOS, only transfer WhatsApp data.

Then set up new iPhone and download and configure WhatsApp and restore from the transfer (now works, no error at 40%).

Once whatsapp set up on iPhone, backups to iCloud.

Then factory rest the iPhone, transfer with iOS all your other data, not what'sapp.

Then setting up WhatsApp on iOS you can restore from recently created iCloud backup.

I did something maybe useful for you. I waited more than one hour after finishing with move to IOS then I installed the WhatsApp then chats had been imported successfully. So you may need to wait some time before installing WhatsApp.

This worked for me as well. After doing the Move to IOS and phone restart multiple times, paying to icloud+ worked (even though my whatsapp backup wad 2.5 GB and I had 5 GB storage left before the iCloud upgrade.

No solution from Apple, but there is an app that worked for me. It's a bit annoying because it is not free. I used the iCareFone Transfer app. Now I have my chats on the new iphone!

Restarting The device Worked like a Charm! I was Kinda worried Cause retrying was Not Working. But Thanks To The person Who Suggested to restart the device. Props!

Hello pirateking-R2h,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. Looks like you're getting prompted an error message when transferring your WhatsApp data. If so, we'd like to point you in the right direction for help. We recommend that you review and follow some of the suggested steps listed in WhatsApp page here:

Can't migrate chat history from Android to iPhone

The steps listed within the link we shared, might be able to help you. If you require additional help with WhatsApp data, we recommend that you reach out to them for help. You can use the following link to get support from them: WhatsApp - Help Center

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. Best of luck.